


Culmination of Attraction

by boocherer



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Childhood Friends, Fluff, M/M, Mark is in denial, Mark is me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-06
Updated: 2018-06-06
Packaged: 2019-05-19 01:10:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14863809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boocherer/pseuds/boocherer
Summary: A story of one tiring day on the life of Mark Lee. Waking up early on holiday, eating junk food as breakfast, having a banter with a childhood friend, and being interviewed with the weirdest question possible.“Are you guys a gay couple or straight friends?”(or Mark being in denial and having an awakening in the middle of a street)





	Culmination of Attraction

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by Jimmy Kimmel's interview dated back from 2013. Enjoy!

Eating junk food first thing in the morning is the worse example of healthy diet, Mark supposes. It hasn’t even hit nine o’clock but he has managed to drag Donghyuck out of his messy room to accompany him for breakfast; if you could even considered black forest ham and chips as breakfast. He starts to feel bad for the other.

Donghyuck is exactly the same with Mark, they’re not the type to be productive on holiday. The former has a little worse case. He won’t leave his room and be stuck in his computer for hours doing absolutely nothing; unless we talk about getting food, because eating was as important as breathing for him. Mark knows it well, _really well_ ; he isn’t the best friend for life for nothing. 12 years of friendship has been more than enough for Mark to understand the other’s antics and how to deal with it.

And for that same reason he knows Donghyuck won’t refuse his request no matter how silly the excuse is. The younger will easily give in, even though he’ll most-likely give halfhearted protest while doing it.

That leads them to the situation they are in.

“I can’t believe you force me to get up just for this,” Donghyuck carps, “today is my first day off school and I should’ve used it for my beauty sleep.”

“You don’t need any beauty sleep. You’re not that old.”

“You have to take care of your body from a young age, so yes I need my beauty sleep,” he takes a sip of his orange. “Be grateful I didn’t toss you out my room from invading my privacy.”

“You don’t have any privacy left anyway. I’ve been in your room countless time I know your belongings more than you do. And I’m sorry, okay. I even bought your food, is that not enough?”

“I didn’t ask for it though,” the younger says in an irritated tone. Mark takes a look at his watch. Seeing that it has been an hour since they left the house and Mark knows he must has been forgiven. Donghyuck anger towards him has never lasted long, the record is a bare fifty minute and the story was Donghyuck had to redo his two-month project because Mark accidentally broke his Erlenmeyer flask. Today’s event is nothing compared to it.

“If you tell me the actual reason why you left your home maybe I’ll let you pass.”

 _Thank God._ He knows Donghyuck has a soft spot for him, just as how he is towards the younger. They’ll be so swift to be angry then forgive each other as easily. Yet, he believes they have different justifications behind it. Donghyuck reason certainly because Mark is his closest person right after his family, and will obediently follow his request if being reminded with things he owed.

But for Mark, it’s this sweet sensation every time he manages to make Donghyuck smiles. Or the ugly feeling he senses every time he sees the boy’s chatter with his classmates, too friendly, too close, as if they would claim Mark position as the bestest friend, the exclusive title only he can hold.

 “Come on, Mark,” the voice pulls him out of his thoughts. “I’ve known you. You said it was urgent but it probably won’t even worth a thing. My hunch it’s probably your petty banters with Taeyong-hyung again.”

“No, man. Johnny crashed at our place last night. I’m really cool with that but then I saw him making out with Taeyong-hyung in the kitchen this morning and I flew out of there as fast as I could. I just— I don’t want to witness my brother…..yeah, you know,” he shrugs.

Johnny has always been a person he looks up to. He was  bit defensive when Taeyong first introduced his boyfriend two years ago, but they had quickly warmed up to each other and now Mark felt like he gets himself another brother. Johnny even taught him English, so that’s a win. However, the scene he witnessed this morning certainly was something he shouldn’t have seen, _god blessed his innocent eyes_.

“And he’ll stay until tomorrow. What if I got home and saw them doing that again? What if they are doing some indecent thing while we’re talking right now? I won’t be able to live in the house ever again, Hyuckie.”

“They’d probably done it last night but you didn’t know since you sleep like a log.”

“That’s the worst, thank you very much,” he holds the bag of seaweed flavored chips; his favorite; and offering it to Donghyuck’s direction, and addition to make him being forgiven. “So, are we clear?’

 “Hmm..” Donghyuck pauses for a second, shoving his right hand into the bag, “Only if I get back home fast. I have to finish my voltron marathon for tomorrow’s meet up with Renjun. There’s still two more seasons to go,” he continued.

They continue to eat their breakfast. The sharing section that comes after mostly makes up of Mark complaining about his university entrance exam or Donghyuck explaining his agenda to intimidate the freshmen, since he’s going to be in senior year. This semester will be the first time they don’t go to the same school. Their school holds levels from elementary to senior high, so it’s never been any problem even though they’re year apart. They manage to meet each other, since they lives in the same neighborhood and all; but Mark’s target university is at the opposite side of the city.

He’ll be lying if he says he’ll survive without Donghyuck. All the friends in his circle are underclassmen; the classmate of Donghyuck that was forced to befriend him. But that’s a story from five years ago. Donghyuck’s is the first and last friend he ever made with his own effort, apart from a transfer student from Hong Kong who sat right behind him in twelve grades, but they weren’t that close anyway.

Sometimes he envies the boy sitting right in front of him. Apart from social interaction, Mark can manage his life well. But Donghyuck, he can do everything. Dabbled in many skills and effortlessly gaining expertise. Unlike Mark, he’s also fast in action; never does he get occupied with his own thought. Overthinking. That’s the word.

He might has stared into space for quite a while when his rail of thoughts get interrupted by the ringtone coming from Donghyuck’s phone. The latter picks up his phone, talking really low Mark can barely hear a thing. He then lifts his head up and gives a faint smile to the older one before ending the call.

“Who’s that?”

“Mom,” he says, finishing his orange. He shoves his phone back to his pocket, gesturing the taller to stand up and leave the restaurant. “She said you can sleep over at our place tonight. Or if you want to be a third wheel between your brothers, you are allowed to go home.”

Mark doesn’t skip a beat and shouts “No” a little bit too loud; a toddler is looking at him with a confused look. That’s pretty embarrassing, but it’s worthy of the price when he hears an endearing laughter from Donghyuck.

“You’re welcome, Mark.”

✥❉✥❉✥❉✥❉✥

 

Mark is sitting on the sidewalk railing situated in front of a convinence store. The outlet is already so close to his neighbourhood complex, it won’t even take ten minutes to get there. He can take the walk by his own, arriving first at Donghycuk’s house alone without its residence. But, being a good friend he is, he waits.

It’s almost noon. Usually Mark won’t hesitate to hide from the sunlight; sun bathing in the middle of the day is not to his amusement. Fortunately, today’s weather is surprisingly friendly. The delightful weather of spring is almost reaching its end before changing into a muggy and wet summer. He can enjoy this much.

His feet swinging as he waits for Donghyuck taking nearly half an hour inside. Knowing the boy, he’s probably being too absorbed between choosing one out of the enormous choices on the aisle since he didn’t bring his wallet this morning and only manages to find 1000 Won in his baggy pants pocket. Judging that Donghyuck will stay at the store for much longer, Mark takes out his phone he’d been putting on mute earlier today. There he sees, bunch of missed calls and message from two numbers he’s extremely familiar with, with the newest one notified at the very top.

 **lee taeyong** : Mark, where are you? I’m worried. Please answer the phone.

Ow, just when he forgot about the unfortunate incident involving his eyes. He didn’t think it through this morning. Escaping from the house without noticing anyone when the two older men didn’t even know he’d been awake and not answering the phone. It’s similar to some stupid scenario of _‘leaving the house after having argument’_ Mark watches on drama series. However, Taeyong might think of it as ‘ _my precious family member_ _being kidnapped_ ’ scenario, or even worse. He should call him back, notifying Taeyong, and also Johnny, that he’s alright. He dials the number, hearing only the first dial tone before it being abruptly answered.

“Hello, Mark! Dude, where are you?” It’s Johnny. His tone is slightly higher than he usually is and Mark can sense the worry on his voice. “Wait. I’ll get Taeyong.” And then he hears a weird scrunching sound and two voices speaking over on another. _He’s on speaker_.

“Mark. Are you okay? You weren’t there when I went to your room and you didn’t answer my call,” Taeyong voice is harsh; like he’s angry, “I’m afraid something happened to you,” but full of concern.

“Um.. I’m really sorry my phone is on silent mode. I was having a breakfast with Donghyuck,” that doesn’t sound very convincing. And they’ll find it weird for Mark to willingly get up and go outside just for breakfast. “Donghyuck forced me to, so I had no choice,” he lied. _Sorry, hyuck_.

“I knew he must be with Donghyuck. See, I told you there’s nothing to worry about.”

“But you’re the one who almost call the police, Johnny. Why don’t you call Donghyuck instead if you already knew Mark’s with him?”

There’s the lack of response from Johnny, because Taeyong just won their argument again, just how Donghyuck always win his argument with Mark using tons of sassy remarks. He never gets a chance to get a victory of anything from the younger.

Their conversation continues for a while—Mark getting scolded for leaving without permission by Taeyong and full-length oral essay about the importance of mobile communication from Johnny—until he finds Donghyuck gets out of the store with a bag of kkokkalcorn.

“Ah, today I’ll stay over at Donghyuck’s house. We already asked his mom.”

“You sure, man? We gonna bake a cake today, you don’t want to join?”

“Just leave some for me. I’ll get back tomorrow evening. Bye,” he hangs up the call.

Donghyuck walks towards his way, leaning his back on the metal railing beside the place the latter had occupied for now almost an hour, when someone approaches them, tailed by someone else holding a big camera professional cameramen have.

“Excuse me. Do you guys have a minute?” The figure is shorter than both of them, but now that Mark’s able to look closer to see better of his face, he looks around the same age as Taeyong. “I’m Moon Taeil from NCT Night Night Show. We have a section called Natural where we go to the street and talk to random people. Do you mind having a little chat?”

Mark is not really fond of this. Sudden conversation with total stranger isn’t his forte, but he doesn’t know how to properly decline the offer without being rude. “Um—“

“Sure,” Donghyuck says. This is similar to any other days. Mark thinking way too much and being a coward about something until he has Donghyuck to beat him on doing the thing. And in this case, Mark has to follow.

“Great!” The interviewer, Taeil, is now beaming with excitement and the look at his face makes Mark wants to forget he ever tried to turn down the offer earlier. “We can start with introducing yourself,” he cheerfully says as he hands a plastic green-colored microphone. A dozen list of question are being asked to them; it varies from pets they want to have to weird ones like estimating how many windows are in Seoul, in which Donghyuck answers wholeheartedly while Mark’s trying to fake the same enthusiasm.

“Then for the final question. Are you guys a gay couple or a straight friend?”

Mark gives the interviewer the most confused look he can manage. He doesn’t want to answer it. Even Mark himself finds it odd. The latter is unmistakably the correct answer. The fact about them being friend is as clear as day. Knowing Donghyuck is the same as knowing one plus one equals two, he never know when it started. He seemingly knows Donghyuck even before he acknowledge the existence of equation. Then why, why doesn’t he able to admit the answer. Isn’t he the best friend?

Donghyuck's best friend. _Just_ the best friend.

His brain hurts. What is going on with all these idle thoughts suddenly coming through; suddenly reappearing without acknowledging his attempt to keep it hidden. It's fruitless; Donghyuck won't ever think the same way. He quickly looks at his side, worrying about Donghyuck’s choice of action that’s crucial to his mental state at this moment. His eyes meet with Donghyuck’s when he perceives an evil smile on the latter’s face. The younger moves to faces Taeil, giving the brightest expression Mark’s ever seen today. He opens his mouth, and answers–

“Gay friend.”

Right at that moment, Mark’s brain has stop working.

**Author's Note:**

> The prompt was supposed to be written for Hinakoma but my lazy ass put it away for more than a year, so I changed it to Markhyuck and had to redo it all over since their personalities are so different. Critics and supports are deeply appreciated!


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